Lamentations 5
1 Lord, please remember what's happened to us. Look at us and see how we've been humiliated!
Remember, O Yahweh, what hath befallen us, Look around, and see our reproach:
2 The land we used to own has been handed over to strangers, our houses have been given to foreigners.
Our inheritance, turned over to foreigners, our houses, to aliens.
3 We have lost our fathers, and our mothers are widows.
Orphans, have we become, and fatherless, our mothers, are widows indeed.
4 The water we drink we have to pay for; our firewood comes at a price.
Our water—for silver, have we drunk, our wood—for a price, cometh in.
5 Like animals we're driven along with harnesses around our necks; we're worn out but don't find any rest.
Upon our necks, are our pursuers, We labour, and there is allowed us no rest.
6 We allied ourselves with Egypt and Assyria so we could have plenty of food.
To Egypt, have we stretched out our hand, to Assyria, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our forefathers sinned and they're gone, but we're being punished for their sins.
Our fathers, sinned, and are not, and, we, their iniquities, have borne.
8 Servants of our conqueror rule over us; no one can save us from their power.
Slaves, have ruled over us, There is none to set free from their hand.
9 We take our lives in our hands when we look for food, because of the armed raiders in the desert.
At the risk of our life, do we bring in our bread, because of the sword of the desert.
10 Our skin is hot like an oven because of the fever caused by hunger.
Our skin, as with a furnace, is scorched, because of the hot winds of famine.
11 They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.
Women—in Zion, were ravished, virgins, in the cities of Judah!
12 Princes have been hung up by their hands; they show elders no respect.
Princes, by their hand, have been hanged, The faces of elders, not honoured.
13 Young men are forced to work at hand-mills; boys stagger under bundles of wood.
Young men, a millstone, have lifted, and, youths, under wood, have staggered.
14 The elders have abandoned their places at the city gate; the young men have given up playing their music.
Elders, from the gates, have ceased. Young men, from their music.
15 There's no more happiness for us; our dancing has turned into mourning.
Ceased hath the joy of our hearts, Changed to mourning, our dance.
16 The crown has fallen from our head. What a disaster has come upon us because we have sinned!
Fallen is the crown of our head. Surely woe to us, for we have sinned.
17 Because of all this, we're sick at heart; because of all these things, we can hardly look;
For this cause, faint is our heart, For these things, dimmed are our eyes:
18 Because of Mount Zion, which has been abandoned, and where only foxes roam.
Because of Mount Zion, which is desolate, jackals, have gone prowling therein.
19 But you, Lord, live forever! You rule for all generations!
Thou, O Yahweh, unto times age-abiding, dost remain, Thy throne, from generation to generation:
20 So why have you forgotten us for such a long time? Why have you abandoned us for so many years?
Wherefore shouldst thou perpetually forget us? forsake us, to length of days?
21 Bring us back to you, Lord, so we can be with you again. Please remake our lives like they used to be.
Bring us back, O Yahweh, unto thyself, and we will come back! Renew our days, as of old;
22 Or have you have completely rejected us? Are you still really furious with us?
For though thou hast not, utterly rejected, us, thou art wroth with us—exceedingly!
